1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to intake systems for gasoline powered internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to an air bleed vapor system for atomizing such a vehicles positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known in the art, there are a number of devices available for assisting a vehicle owner in increasing fuel mileage. One category of such devices includes those that create increased turbulence within the intake, or exhaust, system of the vehicle's engine. Such devices appear to be targeted at creating a ‘vortex’ with the intent of generating more thorough air-fuel mixtures and, by extension, a more complete combustion. A second category utilizes magnetic fields in order to ‘ionize’ either fuel, the air, or the mixture, also in an attempt to urge a more complete combustion. And, a final category attempts to remove sludge and other impurities from the system, either by entrainment of such impurities in the lubrication system or through capture of blow-by in the PCV system.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,213, issued in the name of Burnett, discloses a power booster fuel saver of the vortex-air-intake type.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,964, issued in the name of Maurice, describes a vortex generating airfoil fuel saver describing an airfoil shaped body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,673,674, issued in the name of Monteiro Vieira, discloses a device for passing the fuel line through a multidirectional magnetic field.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,113, issued in the name of Chen, discloses an air-rich fuel saver which provides a fuel rich airstream into a vehicle's carburetor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,374,508, issued in the name of Pena, discloses a fuel saver system for internal combustion engines which saturates the air portion of the air-fuel mixture with ether, alcohol or water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,623, issued in the name of Graham, discloses an air inlet fuel saver device for internal combustion engines that provides an aeration nozzle directing air into the throat of the carburetor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,406, issued in the name of Minor et al, describes a device that regulates the vacuum provided to the engine's intake manifold.
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus and method of allowing for more efficient fuel-air mixtures to be created for increasing gas mileage in internal combustion engines.